National Budget for 9.27.07

CHECK THIS OUT: Coming Friday, the debut of the Religion Rail, including religion-in-the-news snippets, including a survey, definition, sacred days, etc. Next week, we’ll debut other lifestyle rails.

For 9/27/07 editions

Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/. Please submit stories below no later than 6 pm local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.

TOY PRICES: American consumers will be bearing the cost of safer toys, but not until after this year's Christmas season, to pay for increased vigilance by toy makers. That means a $6.99 Barbie could go up to about $7.70. Talking to local shoppers, etc. SZOKE, Peoria. Evening / Business, Illinois and Illinois News

NOT-SO-HAPPY VALLEY: Two seasons removed from an 11-1 season, Penn State can't please its fans. The Nittany Lions are 3-1, but the offense is sputtering heading into a game at Illinois Saturday. The word "crisis'' has already been used. With graphic box looking at Penn State. SUPINIE. CHAMPAIGN. Illinois sports and Big Ten. Moving early evening.

MICHAEL WINSHIP COLUMN -- A mime is a terrible thing to waste (somebody stop me). So let me take unseemly advantage of Monsieur Marceau's demise to make a couple of points about something that at first glance might seem antithetical to his art: the power of speech. Free speech. CANANDAIGUA / in / opinions, winship

Lifestyles (Thursday is Home & Garden)

MINIMALISM SQUARED: Illinois man, inspired by famous 'cube house,’ builds home with only the basics. PEORIA / in / home & garden
ART: interesting, artsy pics

MAGICAL ‘NEW’ CARPETS: Gabbeh rugs from the East have carved a lasting new niche in U.S. home décor. METROWEST / in / home & garden

JIM HILLIBISH GARDENING COLUMN: Get a head start on 2008 growing season. CANTON / in / home & garden columns

MOVIE REVIEW: “FEAST OF LOVE” -- I knew I was going to miss the late great Robert Altman, but I didn’t realize just how deeply until sitting down to “Feast of Love.” ALEXANDER / in / entertainment
ART: yes

MOVIE REVIEW: “INTO THE WILD” -- For his latest feature as a director, Sean Penn has chosen a story about youthful alienation that alternately irritates and engages. Based on Brookline native Jon Krakauer’s best-seller, which was inspired by a true story, “Into the Wild” is basically a road picture that follows the adventures of Christopher McCandless, a bright college boy who, upon graduation, decides to chuck the middle-class ambitions his parents have been pushing for a trip into the unknown. GORFINKLE / in / entertainment
ART: yes

MOVIE REVIEW: “THE KINGDOM” -- Primal instincts and politics join bloody hands, one covering the other, in terms of international relations with Middle East countries. For every hope that talks and diplomacy will succeed, there’s a nagging nugget that perhaps the right take-no-prisoners incursion could be the answer. ROGERS / in / entertainment
ART: yes

BONOMO: NIU professor Joe Bonomo has written the definitive book on punk band Fleshtones. He's been a fan since the early '80s and went on the road with the band to research the book. With breakouts. QUICK/ROCKFORD. On wire now / Illinois and Music

MICHAEL MILLER COLUMN: Rise of the Christian fraternity. When a young man pledges membership to Sigma Theta Epsilon fraternity at Bradley University, his initiation is a bit different than the normal experience. Rather than performing an embarrassing stunt, he may have to put on a social event or work on a community service project. PEORIA / in / religion
ART: column mug

PRODIGAL SON RETURNS: The Rev. Carlos Morris says he took his first alcoholic drink when he was a toddler. He smoked his first marijuana joint at 8. By 16, he was a full- blown drug addict, injecting himself with Percodan, speed and other drugs. Then it got worse. CANTON / in / religion
ART: pics

SERIOUS FUN: Ministry works to help kids play. Kids Around the World may be nicknamed "The Playground People" because of all the brightly colored playgrounds its volunteers have erected. ROCKFORD / in / religion
ART: pic

IMAM AMBASSADOR: Massachusetts imam is a U.S. ambassador to Islamic world. There he was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at a lavish reception marking the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence. Britain’s Prince Andrew was seated to his right, Australia’s ambassador to his left, and Brunei’s foreign minister across the table. PATRIOT LEDGER/ in / religion
ART: pic